I will be your contest manager for the up and coming natural fabrics contest this year and I'm really looking forward to it! This is a great opportunity to get your summer/winter wardrobe ready. Natural fibers are perfect for keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter!

Hope to see lots of participation - I'll be here to help you with any questions you may have. I am located in Austria, so although there may be some delay in answering, I will definitely get to any question as soon as possible!

Cheers,
Deanna

Quote: Natural Fabrics Contest
May 1-31, 2013

Are you in love with natural fibers? Does the thought of wearing silk, wool, cotton or linen make you sighhhhh with delight? Are you into urban chic leather and suede styles? Why not combine that love with this contest, and show us how you incorporate your favorite natural fiber into a garment.

Rules:
Make an item using only 100% natural fibers- silk, wool, cotton, linen, hemp, leather or suede (not faux). For this contest, blends are not allowed. The fiber that you use must be 100% ONE fiber. Ie.: 100% silk NOT 50 silk/50 cotton. Please see the addendum if you are unsure about fabric eligibility.

Lining, notions and/or trims DO NOT have to be a natural fiber.

Any wearable garment is acceptable. A skirt, top, dress, pants, pj's, jacket or coat for a woman, man or child.

Home Dec and accessories are not a part of this contest.

Photos are always a necessary part of a contest entry. At least one photo of the finished garment is necessary.

A review must be written and the PR member must enter the contest and link the review to the contest by 11:59pm of the last day of the contest (May 31st).

Addendum: About Fabrics
For this contest, natural fabrics include silk, wool, cotton, linen, hemp, leather and suede. They are either made by spinning raw fibers into thread and then weaving, knitting, etc, OR they are made by tanning hide.

Manufactured fabrics such as Rayon, Bamboo, Modal, Ramie, Lyocell, etc are not allowed for the purposes of this contest. They are plant/cellulose based, but are manufactured (their pulp is turned into liquid and then extruded) to make fibers that can then be woven/knit.

Man-made/Synthetic fabrics are not allowed either. These are Polyester, Spandex, Elastane, Acrylic, Acetate, faux leather and faux suede - these are fabrics made from chemicals and then manufactured.

For more details about manufactured and man-made fabrics, -- fabric.net has a helpful article.

General Rules for all Contests

All reviews must be entered for submission by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the last day of the contest. It is suggested to start your review as a Work In Progress (private or public) so that you can get any bugs ironed out prior to the deadline.

Patterns MAY be muslined prior to the start of this contest however; fabric for contest garment may NOT be cut prior to the start of the contest. Fabric may be pretreated before the start of the contest.

Items intended for sale, or for which you were or will be paid to make, do not qualify for any contest, but items made for charity are welcome.

Unless otherwise stated in the rules, all reviews written for a contest entry must include a picture of the entry, preferably on a live model.

Interpretation of rules is subject to the discretion of the contest manager and the contest committee.

Contest Eligibility:
***Rule #1 is changed for 2013

Any member of Pattern Review, either paying (FoPR) or non-paying, who is a registered member on the site before the contest begins is eligible to enter.

Any member of Pattern Review, either paying (FoPR) or non-paying, who's been a registered member on the site for 90 days prior to the end of a contest is eligible to vote in a contest.

Any member who's won first place in a contest on Pattern Review that ended in the previous four-month period is ineligible to win another contest (during that four-month period).

The first, second and third place winners will be decided by member vote. Prizes will be awarded to the first and second place winners.

Voting will begin 2 days after contest closes and will close 7 days after voting starts.

Because of the high quality of the garments we're seeing entered in PR Contests, we're setting forth some guidelines that may help you choose when voting. Consider how well the entry fulfills each of the following criteria in order to narrow down your votes:

Does the garment clearly reflect the pattern's line drawing?

How well does the garment fit the criteria stated in the contest rules? How well does it fit the spirit of the rules?

Are the construction methods, including but not limited to seam finishes, lining techniques, etc, well suited to the design? To the fabric?

Is the fabric choice well suited to the design? Are the lining and interfacing choices appropriate?

Is the review complete and well written?

Taking into account the stated ability level of the entrant, how well does the garment fit?

Creative points. You may choose to give extra credit here for an entry that reflects additional creativity (embellishment, fabric choice, etc.) while staying within the nature of the original pattern.

Complexity of the project. Relate this to the skill level of the participant. If a participant is a beginner then a princess seam may get the same complexity level as an underarm gusset gets for an advanced sewer. This is purely subjective, but a complex garment might garner more points than a simple one if a tie-breaker is needed.

Quote: Can a single entry consist of outfit (jacket and pants) -- or is a single entry limited to only one garment?

Since the main focus of this contest is to use natural fibers, one outfit can be considered an item for this contest.

Quote: Can the bottom be 100% linen and the top be 100% silk?

If you're treating them as one unit, i.e. an outfit, then all the pieces would need to be from the same fiber.
However, you may add multiple entries to this contest using different fibers.

Quote: May I use a fabric with a fiber content: 87% wool, 8% cashmere, 5% polyamide

No, for this contest, blends are not allowed.

Quote: I have 100%silk chiffon fabric. Do I have to make a picture of chiffon and post it?

It works on the honor system for all contests here. You cant tell fiber content with a picture anyways. You will only need to post a picture of your final item.

Quote: The fabric content 100% but the fabric is (dyed, surface-treated, hand-painted). Does it still count?

The fiber content of the fabric is 100% natural, so it qualifies for this contest. Whether or not the surface of the fabric has been treated or the fabric itself has been dyed doesn't matter.

Quote: If I make a lined hoodie jacket, and the lining is woven cotton but the outer is knitted/sweatshirt jersey cotton, will that count? Both fabrics would be cotton, but they aren't the same fabric...

Different fabric types are allowed, as long as all the outer fabric is the same fiber, e.g. all 100% cotton, silk, leather... etc. Lining can be anything you want. :)

Quote: Are knits permitted provided they are one natural fiber?

Yes, as long as its 100% natural fiber, there are no limits as to the type of fabric.

Quote: For outfits, is it allowed to make the items from different patterns

That would be fine, it's the fabric that matters for this contest. Frankenpatterns and self-designed are also allowed. For different patterns, you can make a master entry that includes the links to the individual entries.

I was just musing today about this contest...and hoping leather would be allowed. SOOOOO happy it is
Hahaha as if i havent enough to do already...finish up 3 garments for SWAP over at Stitcher's Guild and I have to even start the two Pantone items LOL
But its great to plan and dream.
i have been wanting a little pleated neckline leather top for some time now. Maybe short cap sleeves. I have the black lambskin from Italy already and silk charmeuse lining.
Anyone know of any pleated neckline simple top patterns?
I think Burda Style has a raglan one that may work.
What leather glue is recommended?
Does Joans stock it?
Thanks so much

------ .....Behold, a wonder did appear;
Amazement was my bliss.......

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